Both because they're a country dedicated to teeny tiny carbon footprints, and because they're likely not too hot on nuclear power at the moment, Japan is expected to kick off a universal solar panel initiative. Every building, twenty years.

The plan, making mandatory solar panels for all residential and commercial buildings, is likely to debut at the impending G8 summit, and would put Japan at the fore of the global alternate energy push. They've probably got what it takes to pull it off—we hope it switches over from plan to reality. [PhysOrg]